


it's cold

by mooshu



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:18:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4118355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooshu/pseuds/mooshu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>As Yifan slowly becomes more aware and focused on his surroundings, he notices that the other half of the bed he's in is empty.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	it's cold

**Author's Note:**

> just some pointless random taoris

The air is ice cold when Yifan wakes from his sleep; ironically in the middle of dreaming about the hot, summer days he misses so much, the bitter freezing winter reminding him of how much he takes that time for granted. He pulls the thick quilt over his head, curling into himself as he tries to warm up. He can see his breaths coming out in tiny puffy clouds, like a... _dragon_ , he thinks amusingly. Those days are long over, but he catches himself doing that from time to time, associating things he does with dragons and the galaxy and wolves. Something that will maybe never leave him, but he's not sure if he wants it to anyway.

As Yifan slowly becomes more aware and focused on his surroundings, he notices that the other half of the bed he's in is empty-- the spot isn't even warm, which tells him its usual occupant has been away for quite a while. Half of him wants to stay in the bed to try to heat up and get back to sleep, the digital clock on the table next to him reading 3:28 am, but the other half is nudging at him, telling him to get up and go check on the missing person. After laying there for another ten minutes without getting any warmer, he decides on the latter choice.

The apartment is unnervingly dark and still, Yifan hesitating in the hallway before continuing on. He wraps the quilt he's drug along around him tightly, and makes a hood that covers his head. It's even more freezing out in the open, and he curses the heating system which is currently undergoing malfuctions. Right in the middle of winter. As Yifan slowly trudges towards the living room, checking in the bathroom on his way there, he can see the lights of the television reflecting on the wall, and breathes out, another cloud escaping. What is he doing at nearly four in the morning, watching television? What's even on during this time? He enters then, eyes blinking fast to focus on the sudden brightness of the screen, some random sitcom playing. He can see Zitao on the sofa now, long limbs spread out in a way that looks uncomfortable, sound asleep. Yifan walks over on tippy toes, watching the rise and fall of Zitao's chest as he breathes.

Yifan is reluctant to wake the other up at first, but he's admittedly pretty selfish and kind of wants Zitao and his body heat to come warm him, so he gently shakes one of Zitao's shoulders, whispering his name. The younger man wakes up in no time, eyes squinting up at Yifan in confusion, mumbling, "Wha...?"

"It's cold." Yifan states the obvious, helping Zitao as he sits up on the sofa, rubbing at his eyes with his fists just like a small child would. Zitao is kind of like a child in his eyes. He's just as tall as and much more stronger than Yifan is, and he certainly is an adult capable of adult things, but there's something about his bright eyes and burning curiosity about the world around him that makes him seem adorably childlike. It makes Yifan want to protect him from all the bad things in life forever. "Come back to bed," he says softly, opening his arms widely, wincing at the cold air that attacks him.

Zitao stands, still in a state of sleepiness, wrapping his own arms around Yifan underneath the quilt and burying his face into the crook of his neck. Yifan closes them up then, in their own little cocoon made of the quilt. He nuzzles his nose into Zitao's hair, breathing in his sweet scent deeply. He's a lot warmer now that he has Zitao here, snuggling up close to him. It feels as if they could both stay and sleep here forever, even if they are standing up in the middle of a freezing living room. After a few minutes though Yifan pulls away, tugging the quilt off and wrapping it around Zitao instead, who takes it with no argument. Through the lights of the television he can see that he's smiling, eyes looking over Yifan in a way that makes his heart swell.

Yifan leads Zitao back to their room then, where their bed waits for them. It takes a minute to get comfortable, curling and entangling around each other in order to swap body heat, finally settling down after getting the right position-- wrapped tightly in each other's arms. Yifan can feel Zitao shaking, teeth chattering from the cold, and he pulls him closer. He wishes he could give Zitao all the heat in the world right now. "Are you okay?" he questions.

Zitao chews on his bottom lip for a few seconds before answering. "Yeah," he says. "Now I am."

Yifan hums. "Are you having more nightmares?"

"...Yeah." Zitao's voice trembles slightly this time, and Yifan's heart now sinks. Zitao being upset is the last thing he wants, especially over something like nightmares. He's always been prone to them, ones about silly matters such as ghosts and giant bugs, but lately they've been deeper and truly troubling-- ones about the past, the others back in South Korea, Sehun not answering his texts. Yifan understands the feeling, and experienced a similar situation, but it seems to be affecting Zitao, and his dreams, much more than it ever did him.

He's unsure of what to say, always so awkward and clumsy with comforting people, so they lay in silence together. Yifan listens to the sound of the other's breathing as it evens out, Zitao gradually falling into unconsciousness. He's beating himself up internally for not being able to say anything else, but he's never been the greatest with words, and he hopes Zitao can see how hard he tries to communicate with his actions. Because he does care, a lot.


End file.
